Back in the Attitude Era, when WWE was known as WWF, Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit was a huge fan. And what was not to love about the Attitude Era? You had amazing characters and edgy storylines. But after WCW was bought out by the McMahons, the content of WWE shifted to PG. Which made sense in a business standpoint because a family-friendly product meant more advertisers and a better stock portfolio. But the shift also caused a rift with the wrestling fans from that era.

For a long stretch of time following the PG shift, WWE’s storylines have been less than appealing. This statement is not to overlook some of the head scratchers from the Attitude days, but todays’ storylines have become disgustingly melodramatic.

The most recent offenders of partaking in a storyline reeking of melodrama have been Dolph Ziggler and Rusev. The Bulgarian Brute went from undefeated monster who crushed his opponents without mercy, to a babbling idiot jealous of his former mouthpiece Lana dating the Show Off. As for Dolph Ziggler, he recently signed a new 3-year contract and this is what he’s doing?

The actual matches haven’t been bad. Their clash at Night of Champions was really good, but there isn’t really much substance to go on.

Then there’s Summer Rae and Lana. Summer Rae wrestled in FCW and NXT, but hasn’t really made a name for herself as a singles competitor on the main roster. She’s been type-casted as the evil hot blonde girl. While Lana, also a very beautiful blonde girl, played the part of the evil mouthpiece to Rusev so well that she actually went over with the fans as a babyface. Which is all well and good, because she does have that Russian girl next door vibe, but to try and incorporate her as a wrestler down the line doesn’t make sense. That’s like trying to turn “The Mouth of the South” Jimmy Hart into a wrestler.

However, plans for wrestling have now been put on hold with Lana out on the sidelines with an injured wrist. So with the main prize out of the loop, could this mean a possible end to the feud?

You would think, but we saw on both RAW and Smackdown that Ziggler was trying to get into Summer’s head. Is this just to prove how much game Dolph has in picking up women? Will Rusev revert to a hopeless romantic trying to find his one true Russian? Will Dolph put on a suit, befriend Rusev, tell him to suit up, meet him at the bar, and play a game of “Have you met, Rusev?”

It’s understandable that WWE wants to market themselves as a family friendly sports entertainment product, but it should not be at the expense of good storytelling. Just take Ring of Honor as an example: Adam Page called out Jay Briscoe in the center of the ring looking for a fight. Next episode, Page called him out again. By the third episode, Jay Briscoe stated he didn’t know who Adam Page was. When the two finally got in the ring for a match, Page slapped the taste out of Briscoe’s mouth… twice! Then all you wanted to see was Jay kick the living dog crap out of Page, but The Decade intervened and ganged up on Jay.

That’s an example of sound storytelling without the melodrama. But it’s not just Ring of Honor, you have your Lucha Underground and Chikara Pro wrestling programs that go towards the supernatural and comic book sides of storytelling.

Which you would think, why doesn’t WWE do that? Well they do. They just aren’t consistent with it.

The Undertaker and Kane are demonic sons of Satan. That’s supernatural. Cody Rhodes believes he’s a super villain named Stardust, who has aligned himself with The Ascension to form the group of The Cosmic Wasteland. That’s the comic book side of storytelling, but it doesn’t really work in WWE because they don’t want to give it credibility. Instead of saying, this is Stardust and he’s a cosmic traveler from the nether dimension (or something to that effect), the broadcasters simply state that it’s Cody Rhodes who believes he’s a super villain.

I’m pretty sure as long as WWE doesn’t have another live sex celebration or drop an F-Bomb, better storylines is possible with credibility and not forcing the wrestlers to be actors. Let them speak what is true to them.

So tell me your thoughts? Are you okay with the melodrama? Do you want edgier storylines that doesn’t necessarily have to break the PG guidelines?

Tell me your thoughts in the comments section below this post. Or if you just want to hit me up, you can do so on the twitter @WrestlingTimesX or follow my interests and journey to a healthier fit lifestyle on my instagram @losfriday!

Also, make sure to like this post and share it. The more people who like it and share it, the more likely I’ll continue to rant about wrestling!

Lately WWE has been producing a number of reality based programing: from the long running Total Divas on the E Network, to the reboot of WWE Tough Enough, to the documentaries on the WWE Performance Center.

While waiting patiently for WWE’s newest documentary Breaking Ground, which looks amazing, to air next month as an exclusive to the WWE Network, there’s still Total Divas. Yes, it’s hard to admit it but with the addition of Paige, it became a guilty pleasure. Then that Kevin guy had to ruin everything by popping the question. How dare he propose? Paige was supposed to be my future ex-wife.

Don’t get me wrong, the majority of the show can be cringe worthy, especially with Eva Marie’s dead stare during those one-on-one interviews. She’s like a bright redheaded owl. Too bad Renee Young isn’t a regular on the show. I’m just saying if they plan on adding on to the cast, I propose Sasha Banks to be brought onboard to stir things up… like a legit boss.

For the most part, it’s the guys that make Total Divas worth it. There was an episode when Dolph Ziggler booked Jon Fatu (Jimmy Uso) at the comedy club. Jimmy’s bit revolved around Ziggler being this god at the beach who just glowed. It was hilarious. I just wished it was uncensored because there were a couple of mfers thrown in there.

Then there’s the super bromance between Tyson Kidd and Cesaro featured on the last episode. Kidd and Cesaro text each other, talk about each other, work out together, go grab coffee together–black, just like Cesaro likes it. And of course Natalya is jealous of their Tag Team bromance and said they should spoon feed each other cake for their wedding. And Cesaro swung back with the zinger, “We don’t eat cake, we’re in shape.”

WWE should totally consider doing a mock-reality TV series with just the guys. Similar to Kevin Hart’sReal Husbands of Hollywood, it could be the Real Husbands of WWE starring Tyson Kidd and Jimmy Uso with Cesaro and Dolph Ziggler.

Reportedly USA Network was disappointed with the ratings of the sixth season of Tough Enough, especially with part of the show shot live for real-time voting results. The show had a rough start, but it got better as they found their footing and started putting the pieces together.

Although TE was entertaining, Tough Talk on the WWE Network made TE great. Because there were no video packages or silly drama; it was straight to the point honest talk from the judges to the contestants. Even the contestants who were voted off got to speak their minds before leaving the premises.

And the reality sunk in, this is not something that can be figured out through a 13-week program. To be a WWE Superstar and a WWE Diva takes time and dedication to hone a craft that will have you sacrifice your free time.

It takes more than winning TE to make it in WWE, but hopefully Sara Lee and Josh make the most of it by training non-stop at the WWE Performance Center. Who knows? Maybe we will see them on WWE NXT someday.

Speaking of the Performance Center, did anyone catch the E:60 documentary “Behind the Curtain” on ESPN? Following the lives of Corey Graves, Xavier Woods, and Adam Rose was awe-inspiring. You would think that the spotlight would have rejuvenated Adam Rose’s career. But it did quite the opposite.

So who’s with me on WWE making the mock-reality TV series Real Husbands of WWE?

Tell me your thoughts in the comments section below this post. Or if you just want to hit me up, you can do so on the twitter @WrestlingTimesX or follow my interests and journey to a healthier fit lifestyle on my instagram @losfriday!

Also, make sure to like this post and share it. The more people who like it and share it, the more likely I’ll continue to rant about wrestling!

Five years since WWE crowned it’s last King Of The Ring on an episode of Monday Night RAW, the event that had crowned future WWE Hall of Famers, World Champions and WrestleMania Main Eventers was questioned whether or not it would ever come back. Some talk went into if it should be brought back as an exclusive SmackDown event, to differentiate it from WWE’s flagship, but the announcement at WWE Extreme Rules that King Of The Ring was returning as an exclusive on the WWE Network was possibly the best course of action.

Tough, only an hour, the King Of The Ring showcased the semi-finals and the finals of the tournament. But why not have the full event, including the first round matches on the Network? Perhaps to grant their Superstars a reprieve? Or to strategically raise awareness and build anticipation for who would be crowned the King Of The Ring, and the only way to find out is by subscribing to the WWE Network for only $9.99??? Kudos, WWE.

The four semi-finalists included Sheamus, the winner of the 2010 King Of The Ring, Neville, R-Truth and Wade Barrett. The tournament could have gone either way in favor of these semi-finalists, but you need a particular type of Superstar that would benefit both the legacy of the KOTR crown and their own. R-Truth is a fun character wanting to ban spiders, but isn’t quite the guy to be King Of The Ring. And Sheamus could have gone down as a two-time KOTR winner, but his distractions with Dolph Ziggler fit perfectly in benefiting his new heelish persona, and to elevate the die-hard attitude of “The Show Off” Ziggler. Did you see the color Sheamus got in that altercation? USA Network would have flipped!

The finals of the King Of The Ring, as mentioned by Michael Cole, was a rematch of the Extreme Rules Kick-Off show: Neville vs Wade Barrett. Some might complain that WWE already gave away the match on the pre-show and why would they re-do it for the KOTR main event? Because the Kick Off show was Barrett and Neville’s first go around in a WWE ring, where anything could happen, resulting in a major upset for Neville. Now it’s Round 2, and this time the KOTR crown was at stake. Both Superstars elevated their game and put on a fantastic match. However, Wade Barrett’s resolve–having been slighted his Intercontinental championship rematch due to an injured Daniel Bryan–was too much for the former NXT champion.

Wade Barrett as King Bad News or King Barrett was an awesome sight, because it shows that WWE still has high expectations for this Superstar. And the simple fact that Neville won a Kick Off match at a pay-per-view and made it all the way to the finals of the King Of The Ring tournament also shows that WWE has big plans for him.

Wade Barrett says he will rule with an iron fist and an iron Bull Hammer elbow, could we finally see King Barrett break away from the Intercontinental title picture and move towards the World Heavyweight championship picture?

Don’t forget to like the post, share it, and subscribe! Links are available on the right hand column.

About the blogger: I love pro wrestling and all of its layers of athleticism and entertainment. I also love to read and write, which is why, hopefully, WrestlingTimesX will come across as different, in a better way, than anything else that you read on the web. My mantra on wrestling, in any state, is to love it then, now, and forever.

Not since the first time at WrestleMania X has the Intercontinental championship been decided in a ladder match at the Showcase of the Immortals. Seven men will vie for the coveted secondary title in an attempt to create their WrestleMania moment. Out of those seven WWE Superstars, only one can unhook the championship and be declared the winner.

Wade Barrett is currently an uncrowned champion, much like he was for the past couple of weeks as the other six competitors played hot potato with the championship, the title has been forfeited so that it can be suspended high above the rafters for this Sunday’s match. Can Wade successfully retain his championship even though the odds are stacked against him?

R-Truth has been stealing the championship while stating a case for himself, and coming up with a nifty hashtag #GiveTruthAChance. Prior to the Road to WrestleMania, R-Truth has been virtually non existent for the better part of three years. Though his acrophobia might get in the way of climbing the ladder for the industry’s second top prize, can he stomach it and make himself relevant once again?

Luke Harper is the only member from the Wyatt Family to actually have some championship success on the main roster. And after being set free, Harper’s 6-foot-5 frame will certainly play a factor in this ladder match.

Stardust shouldn’t even be in this match because he still has some unresolved issues with his brother Goldust. And his outburst following their match at WWE Fastlane indicated that Stardust has taken over Cody Rhodes. By separating the brothers at WrestleMania, WWE has consented for the darkness of the cosmos to continue poisoning Cody’s mind, and by placing a championship in front of Stardust’s face, that poison is morphing into something Golem-like.

Dean Ambrose has stated that he wants his picture to be on the wall at WWE HQ with the Intercontinental championship, so that he may be immortalized in the record books, but what he should be concerned with is surpassing the other members of The Shield on their race to the top. Roman Reigns is in the World title picture, while Seth Rollins holds the Money in the Bank briefcase that ensures a World championship match at any point in time, but what about Dean? Can an Intercontinental championship run place him on the right path towards the World title?

Dolph Ziggler has been on a roll as of late with two clean pinfall victories over the seventh entrant, Daniel Bryan. Originally conceived as a possible match at WrestleMania, Ziggler and Bryan have made the most of their opportunities in the main events of SmackDown and RAW. Some have labeled Ziggler as the next Shawn Michaels, but he hasn’t been able to catapult to that next level. Could this WrestleMania moment be what DZ needs?

Daniel Bryan, after coming back from what seemingly was an early retirement, vowed to win the Royal Rumble and headline WrestleMania. When that didn’t work, he vowed that he would beat Roman Reigns at WWE Fastlane to earn the right to face Brock Lesnar for the World title. But when that didn’t work, he succumbed to the harsh reality that he would not main event WrestleMania.

When it comes to this Intercontinental championship ladder match, three possibilities come to mind: Ambrose, Ziggler and Bryan. These three men would make excellent champions. Ambrose is a former United States champion, a title that John Cena will be vying for at WrestleMania; Ziggler is a former two-time World champion and four-time IC champion; and Bryan has won every championship title in the WWE except for the Intercontinental.

This title has been held by the greats: Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat, “Macho Man” Randy Savage, “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, HBK, Razor Ramon. These are the guys that Daniel Bryan thinks of when it comes to having better matches on the card than those in the World title picture. And seeing as how this year’s World Title bout features Brock Lesnar vs Roman Reigns, these seven competitors can undoubtedly steal the show at WrestleMania.

Don’t forget to like the post, share it, and subscribe! Links are available on the right hand column.

About the blogger: I love pro wrestling and all of its layers of athleticism and entertainment. I also love to read and write, which is why, hopefully, WrestlingTimesX will come across as different, in a better way, than anything else that you read on the web. My mantra on wrestling, in any state, is to love it then, now, and forever.

The main event—or sub-main event—at Hell in a Cell is Dean Ambrose vs Seth Rollins, and rightfully so. Seth Rollins turned his back on The Shield and curb stomped Dean’s face through a pile of cinder blocks. Compare that to Rollins exercising his right to cash in his Money in the Bank contract. Whose revenge is justified?

John Cena wanted to get his hands on Rollins for costing him the WWE championship match against Brock Lesnar at Night of Champions, but having the contract holder target the World champion has been the unpredictability of MITB since its inception in 2005. Rollins did exactly what every contract holder before him had done, and that is to exploit any means necessary to become the World champion. Sorry John.

Dean Ambrose will finally get his hands on Seth Rollins, and while it did take a lot of dancing around with John to get to that imperative match, Dean Ambrose came into his own. He stood his ground against John Cena, and he even brought out some hubris from Mr. “15-times to the Mountain Top”. Not a lot of people have been able to get under John’s skin the way Ambrose has, and the wrestling fans love him for it. He speaks his mind, and it’s fresh to us.

How about the other main event—or Main Event-B—John Cena vs Randy Orton inside Hell in a Cell… again? What more can these two fight about? We have seen them brawl time and time again, with each match decreasing in value more than the last. Orton and Cena have been WWE’s main eventers for the past ten years, and the fans are sick of it. It is time to mix those guys in with fresh faces.

A prime example of an excellent pairing was Randy Orton and Dolph Ziggler. Everyone that watched those two tear it up on Monday Night RAW witnessed something special. Especially with all the online news indicating Orton wanting a vacation from the company, he wrestled Dolph like he still loved wrestling. If WWE were to put Ziggler vs Orton as one of the headliners for Hell in a Cell, people would pay top $9.99 dollar for a WWE Network subscription to see that match. Dolph is a fresh face that needs to be exposed more on a main event level, and wrestling fans want to see him progress.

Answer the Question: Are you content with Randy Orton vs John Cena or would you rather see Randy Orton vs Dolph Ziggler at Hell in a Cell?

About the blogger: I’m an avid fan of pro wrestling and all of its layers of athleticism and entertainment. I also love to read and write, which is why WrestlingTimesX will come across as different from anything else that you read on the web. My mantra on wrestling, in any state, is to love it then, now, and forever.

The night after WrestleMania culminated Dolph Ziggler’s life long dream when he cashed in his Money in the Bank opportunity to win the WWE World Heavyweight championship. But after a brutal concussion, Ziggler’s championship reign came to a near-career ending halt. Can the Show OFF reclaim the World championship at the Money in the Bank pay-per-view?

Most wrestling fans over the age of ten wanted to see Dolph Ziggler as the World champion because they respect his athletic abilities. Since losing the title, Dolph has attacked Alberto Del Rio multiple times. He’s kept his distance from his girlfriend and WWE Divas champion AJ Lee, and his body guard Big E. Langston. And he’s been picking up victories and outsmarting the members of 3MB.

Yet, while Ziggler has been busy zig-zagging 3MB like the Road Runner, Alberto Del Rio has been going toe to toe with CM Punk, Chris Jericho, and John Cena. In Del Rio’s last encounter with CM Punk on SmackDown, he nearly had Punk beat.

Since becoming champion and showing his true aristocratic colors, Del Rio has adopted a more vicious and unrelenting style of wrestling. He’s been focusing the majority of his kicks to his opponent’s skull. A tactic that served him well in capturing the World title from Ziggler–who was just returning from a concussion.

Dolph Ziggler may be an all around top athlete, with the looks and arrogance to back it up, but when it comes to Del Rio, let’s just say that Ziggler should be taking this rematch more seriously.

Answer the Question: Will Dolph Ziggler “earn” the WWE World Heavyweight championship at Money in the Bank?

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The post-WrestleMania RAW had an electrifying crowd that made the crowning of two new champions special. Wade Barrett once again became the WWE Intercontinental champion after invoking his rematch clause, and Dolph Ziggler cashed in Money in the Bank to become the new WWE World Heavyweight champion. These two competitors were on top of the world last week, so how are they struggling this week?

Dolph Ziggler appeared to be building momentum after picking up a victory over Chris Jericho on SmackDown in a solid main event, but his embarrassing loss to Jack Swagger on RAW seemed to suggest our concern that he isn’t quite ready to lead as World champion. Then there’s Wade Barrett who suffered a loss to R-Truth, which frankly is unsettling. Three-times Barrett has been I-C champion, and he’s still hasn’t asserted himself as a dominant champion.

Jack Swager (or should we say Zeb Colter) had a point, if it wasn’t for the Patriot Lock, Ziggler would not have had a weakened Alberto Del Rio to take advantage of. Jack Swagger practically gift-wrapped the WWE World Heavyweight title to Ziggler, a title he has sorely been trying to recapture since his failed run in 2010. But if Dolph Ziggler does believe that his time is now, then he seriously needs to abandon his tactics for taking big bumps and start taking his opponents seriously. Jack Swagger has size and strength on his side, while Ziggler will have to utilize his wits because if he doesn’t, then we might very well see the WWE World Heavyweight title as the new symbol for Jack Swagger’s America.

Recall when Wade Barrett was the leader of The Nexus and immersed in the WWE championship picture? It seems like a distant memory as now the Barrett’s Barrage is suffering some weak loses. With a championship title defense coming up, Wade should dig down deep into his roots as a former bare-knuckle boxer and show R-Truth and any other challengers why he is next in-line to break out into the World title scene.

But it’s not just Dolph Ziggler and Wade Barrett who are struggling, Antonio Cesaro dropped the WWE United States championship to WWE’s residential jobber Kofi Kingston. Rumors have been floating around that Mr. McMahon is no longer supporting Cesaro’s push, and based on Cesaro yodeling instead of cutting anti-American culture promos, being left off the WrestleMania card, and of course losing the U.S. title, the rumors may be true. Which is truly sad seeing as Antonio Cesaro (as JBL put it) is a throw-back to old school professional wrestlers.

There’s also the WWE Divas champion Kaitlyn who’s biggest struggle is receiving air-time and mic-time. But let’s face it, when was the last time the WWE Divas title carried any worth in the eyes of the WWE?